Culinary ramblings of a mischievous cook. Recipes,pictures,diary entries and all things foodie.Follow a journey of life in the east Algarve, Portugal...

Thursday, 8 December 2011

with love from Portugal...

Claus Porto sampler pack of guest soaps

.... or from anywhere else for that matter. Us expats scatter the globe, and in the season of goodwill we need to think about the folks back home, now is the time to think about two way family favourites.Things the family have enjoyed when they visited the country you are now resident in.Send them packing and here´s hoping they will be reciprocating with care packages of well timed expat cravings.

Sturdy packaging is a must at this time of year if you have friends and family scattered all over the world. Lightweight, non-breakable gifts make the most sense, but bubble wrap, foam containers and boxes designed for posting everything from bottles of wine and posters to CD´s are available from your local Correio or post office.Papelaria and art shops are another good source of different sized and coloured or patterned cartons,too. Food is always popular with those living away from their family, but not all foodstuffs will resist the rigours and time of travel, no matter how well wrapped they are. Instead of sending fragile individual packets of biscuits to cousin Maud living in France, look for sturdy tins of quality biscuits or buy a stainless steel tin and fill it with fun-sized packs of her favourite Chocolates and biscuits.Tea and coffee weigh next to nothing and more often than not. particularly at this time of the year,come in decorative tins and soft packaging which is perfect for posting.Seeds of thought sown, here are some more specific suggestions for lightweight presents.

Muxama- Dry cured tuna. So lean and full of flavour, like Serrano ham, it is no wonder it sometimes gets called ham of the sea. Just served as tapas with a drizzle of olive oil chopped tomatoes and rocket.As done for a summer starter and tapa at Casa Rosada, its concentrated taste can overwhelm at first and make your beer taste of tuna - not a good thing, but persevere and before long you will have an "Atum heart mother"well maybe she will be after she´s enjoyed this delicacy,

Atum Damaso in Vila Real de Santo Antonio will cut, slice and hermetically seal the quantity you need with use by date and date of packing.

Pata negra, Belota. Top of the range quality cured hams from Iberia. Acorn fed in field to gold star in store. Wouldn´t you just want to wake up on Christmas morning and have this treat to accompany scrambled eggs and a glass of Buck´s fizz for your Christmas day breakfast. Suppliers in Ayamonte will slice and hermetically seal your order while you pootle off for a Pedro Ximenez and plancha of Manchego tapa. Can´t be bad.

The best the Algarve can produce, and not yet available outside Portugal or online so this present is extra special and will leave recipients asking questions and gagging for more. But be careful, otherwise you will have friends relations and cousin Maud from France begging you for a holiday in your Algarve home. well maybe not Cousin Maud because she will be snotty about claiming that Flor de sal should be of the French variety.Oh well who cares, she needs a gift.

Guest soaps - Perfect for the entertainer.Mama would love to add a dash of elegance and charm to every room in her house, just like she experienced when she stayed with you on her summer holidays.She´ll love this set of pretty pastel soaps wrapped in a sweet little gifty-boo box.With over 20 years experience in manufacturing soap and smellies, Claus Porto sure know their stuff.This sampler box of their best soap tablets make the perfect host / hostess gift.3 pastilles of each fragrance: Cerina (brise marine),Lilane (Lavender),Deco(lime Basil),Aguia(Veytiver)and Condessa(wild pansy)

Some of these suppliers have online ordering and delivery and others have Overseas outlet,so check online for shipping details and delivery charges and times, before you shop and post.

About Me

I´m a self-taught cook.From my childhood in Scotland through growing up in South East England, my mother was my formative influence. Holidays in Europe, America,Africa and Scandinavia fed me with culinary inspiration. Fifteen years of holidaying in Tavira, led me to up roots and follow the dream to live in Portugal. Here in Castro Marim we run a small guest house, Casa Rosada.Relocation has opened my eyes and taste buds to how recipes and their ingredients can change and develop when incorporated into another country´s food culture and how foreigners like myself adapt the local dishes,bringing a new slant to them.In the last three years I have been researching and cooking traditional Portugueses dishes and then inventing a modern twist to them. I´ve started this food blog so I can share new recipes and a slice of Algarvian life here at Casa Rosada here in Castro Marim.